paint, and a few even dressed like pigs. Mostly these people just looked stupid. The tourists gawked, and I saw one man elbow his wife and smirk, no doubt happy he could return to Florida or Ohio or Maryland with a story about crazy Californians. And here lies the problem. By drawing attention to themselves, the activists asked that attention not be paid to their message.

Too often, animal rights events are simply competitions over which activist loves animals best. And because these competitions are "won" by the individual carrying the most graphic sign or behaving the most obnoxiously, the public is often left both unimpressed and unconvinced. If any good is to come of the movement, animal rights activists must abandon these self-righteous pissing contests and begin acting with more dignity. And this means not only cooperating with each other, but also with other progressive activists. The need for this alliance can't be understated. Only a broad, progressive coalition can address the most important and pressing of all animal rights issues: cutting worldwide beef consumption by 50%.